By Ashemiriogwa Emmanuel
One of the major players in the printing sector in Nigeria, Academy Press Plc, has tasked the federal government to further streamline importation and port activities as well as provide adequate foreign exchange (forex) for the industry to boost local production.
Chairman of the Nigerian-established printing company, Mr Wahab Dabiri, stressed that this is one of the major issues adversely affecting the progress of the industry which the government must address.
Speaking at the 57th virtual yearly general meeting of Academy Press in Lagos, Mr Dabiri noted that the company’s loss before tax increased year-on-year to N304 million in 2020 from N54 million significantly as a result of the shut-down of relevant sectors that rendered services to the industry.
According to him, there are agencies of government that are spending a lot of money on printing.
And so, he said, there is an essential need to facilitate the establishment of local paper mills and the production of relevant printing materials which can be realized through a new policy direction.
In addition, the Managing Director of Academy Press, Mr Olugbenga Ladipo, lamented the high tariff imposed on local producers with no obligation tasked to importers of finished goods.
According to Mr Ladipo, “There are challenges in the industry that we feel could be managed better but these are things that are essentially out of the control of players in the industry.
“Why are Nigerians going to do printing jobs abroad, even if everybody has a right to go anywhere and print? The policymakers can make it difficult for people to patronize importers to grow the local industries.
“There are agencies of government that are spending a lot of money on printing, especially Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) apart from corporate organizations that also do things on their own. These agencies are supposed to be mandated by the government to patronize local industries.
“Every industry that is up and doing well will not depend on importation so the government must look at the policies surrounding business and do the right thing.”
He noted that the effect of the COVID-19 crisis, coupled with the free-fall of naira in the exchange market has gravely necessitated the government’s support in the industry by imposing tariffs on imported goods and eliminating charges on raw materials to grow indigenous companies.
